Maturity and Wagers
by iamamywaterhouse
Summary: Charlie has just passed fifty, and he's still making stupid bets but this one ends more perfectly than either he or his wife could imagine. There is something insatiable about middle age. M for chapters 2-4,
1. The Wager

**It's my new Charlie/Hermione fic. I was writing something else, but I really hated the direction in which it was moving so I scrapped it all and started afresh.  
>There will be another chapter to this, I just need to work out how to upload them later on. If you know how, let me know.<br>Enjoy.**

_xXx_

Charlie/Hermione

"Charlie! Get that fucking rope or she'll fly!" shouted Rick. Charlie scowled at the unnoticed rope and dived on it before the dragon they were moving nearly escaped. They were moving a young Chinese Fireball across the reserve so she could have more room when her egg hatched, but this dragon was a feisty one. Charlie thought it was the most lively he'd ever seen in his years in Romania at the reserve.

After leaving Hogwarts, Charlie was taken on at the dragon reserve as a lowly apprentice to clean up after the higher workers. He had taken years to move from apprentice to the lowest rung on the employment ladder and then gradually worked his way up. Now however, he was just past fifty and director of the reserve that had become his second home. His active work and dedicated work ethic had allowed Charlie to age gracefully while keeping the body he had at twenty three. The sun and dragon work had caused some scarring of his bronzed skin, and his still toned physique was burned and his eyes crinkled in the corners when he laughed. His hair was still thick and tied back at the nape of his neck and he had a tooth of his first dragon hanging from his ear, and one from every other dragon stitched to his belt. He never had a steady girlfriend over the years, he just picked women up in local bars with Rick as his wingman until he was in his early thirties. Now both he and Charlie were living with their respective wives on the reserve. Rick had Chloe and Charlie had Hermione. Yes, Hermione Granger. His youngest brother's best friend in school was now his wife of twelve years, and they still had that spark of teenagers in love.

Hermione had moved from Hogwarts student directly to Hogwarts professor, as an assistant to Minerva McGonagall. Once McGonagall had retired, Hermione had taken over the post for almost fifteen years before she grew restless and bored with the repetitive monotony of her life. She loved teaching and the students, on the whole were a joy to be around but she needed the excitement she had when she was seventeen. She didn't want the imminent danger of Lord Voldemort chasing her every move; she just wanted to feel alive again which was why, at the drop of a hat, she quit her job at Hogwarts and transferred to the Ministry of Magic. Her new post initially was in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, but seeing that her talents lay elsewhere, her supervisor had her transferred to the Department For The Regulation And Control Of Magical Creatures where she liaised with ministry officials from other magical territories about the breeding and transfer of dangerous creatures. The job had her Flooing all over the world at a moment's notice and she saw things she'd never see outside of Hogwarts. She loved the security Hogwarts gave her, but this job allowed her to see two of the most aggressive dragons she'd ever seen almost fight to the death in the air above her. She still, after all these years, held that as the most amazing thing she'd ever seen. After repeated visits to Romania's dragon reserve she had got to know Charlie Weasley. She knew him as Ron's older brother of course, but now Hermione knew Charlie for being Charlie. She knew his quirks, his hates, his passions and just about everything else. When they went on a joint mission to Australia, Charlie had proposed to her at sunset while camping on a cliff overlooking the dusty outback. She knew at once that she would. She knew many months before that she would be marrying Charlie Weasley.

"That fucking beast will be the death of me!" Charlie replied to Rick once the offending rope was tethered to a spike in the ground. Charlie removed his dragon hide gloves and wiped the sweat from his brow.

"You're getting old, Brother" Rick joked. "Perhaps you should lie down or something"

Charlie knew he was the oldest on the ranch. He was more than surprised to have survived this long without getting majorly harmed or even killed. Usually a dragon tamer will be ready to retire or leave at about forty, having had enough of the near death experiences and constant injury.

"I've more stamina than the rest of this team put together, Rick, you should know that" Charlie couldn't suppress a grin at his innuendo. Rick however was too quick for him.

"Well, if that wife of yours is telling the truth, she said you can't keep going past midnight these days, you know how women gossip" taunted the younger of the two men as they walked back towards the reserves head office; Charlie's Den.

"You can get fucked with that, Mr I'm-Asleep-By-Nine. I bet you I could go all night with Hermione AND still do a sixteen hour day here without rest" Charlie boasted. They often had this type of verbal banter running between them, but rarely did they formally agree to a bet. Rick knew Charlie was fit. He could easily run rings around the younger workers, but he had to push it.

"Fifty galleons. I bet you can't rock and roll all night and do a full day here."

"You've already lost" Charlie smiled and held out his hand for Rick to shake. "Food?"

""Aye, lets grab the women though, I want to know what they'll make of our little wager" Rick decided. Without another word, the two men dropped their dragon hide gloves, boots and changed into slightly less charred clothing and Apperated to the residential area of the reserve. There were a few places to eat on site, but they ventured into the nearest town and sat on a veranda in the sun with Chloe and Hermione. They were talking, laughing, gossiping and eating happily until Rick turned the conversation to the newest wager.

"Hermione, has Charlie here told you of his new bet?" Rick smiled as Charlie shook his head and rolled his eyes. Hermione was all-ears, wanting to know what he had got himself into this time. Last time he'd bet with Rick, Charlie had had to take a few days off work as he'd ended up with tiger print patterns all over his arms and he growled when he tried to talk.

"What bet?" Chloe asked, as the repercussions of these wagers usually affected Rick too, in some way.

"Don't worry, it's only for money this time. Charlie here, bet me-"

"Come on now, Rick, at least tell the whole damn story" Charlie interrupted, taking another forkful of food between his lips. He knew it'd make him sound like a randy teenager so there was no point in trying to deny it.

"Right, the general gist of the story is that I called Charlie old, and he insisted" Rick couldn't help but grin at Charlie's discomfort at this point. "He INSISTED that he has more stamina than most of the young guys on the reserve. Naturally, I had to take it one step further and see if he was telling the truth"

"And so what's the bet?" Hermione asked, eying Charlie suspiciously.

"Charlie?" Rick prompted. He was too quick and caught the napkin that Charlie had thrown at him in mock frustration.

"Ok, fine. I bet him that I could make love all night and do a twelve hour day on the reserve" Charlie said while taking a sip from his wine glass.

"Twelve? I think you'll find it was sixteen hours, Charlie" Rick commented. He couldn't help himself. "Hermione, would you be able to help a dear friend out?"

"I think I could, Rick. But only if you do the same for Chloe. She'd so fed up with you falling asleep before she gets hers" Hermione teased. Charlie howled with huge, rumbling laughter as Rick's face went from gleeful, to downright flabbergasted. Hermione turned to look at her husband and was, as always, taken aback by his rugged beauty and glistening eyes. She affectionately brushed a strand of his sun-bleached hair back behind his ear. Chloe's hands went up to cover her mouth as she was as shocked as Rick was.

"Hermione! You said you wouldn't say anything!" Chloe was laughing, but outraged at her friend's outright crassness.

"You can thank me later" Hermione smiled as she reached for the hand of her friend and grasped it, while still laughing to herself.

A tinny whistle and rattle of vibration interrupted their laughter as Chloe's wand caught her attention.

"Aah bugger, the kids are getting feisty" Chloe sighed. She loved their children dearly, but they were rarely able to escape like this and talk and socialize with people their age. "I think we'll have to love you and leave you" she added while standing to gather her bag and scarf. It wasn't yet winter, but the cool breeze caught her unawares. She reached down to hug Hermione and the men stood to shake hands. Chloe released Hermione so she could kiss Charlie on the cheek, and whispered in his ear "Good bet this time. I hope Hermione is right though". This caused a chuckle from Charlie

"That's all up to him, darl', but if he comes into the Den looking knackered, I'll know he's put the effort in" Charlie grinned, baring all his gleaming teeth.

"Who'll be coming into the Den looking knackered?" Rick asked Chloe as they walked away but all she did was laugh in response as they Apperated back to their home on the reserve.

As Hermione and Charlie settled down at their table once more Hermione leaned into her husband's chest as they watched the hustle and bustle of the town's market square.

"Do you think we did the right thing?" Hermione asked.

"What are you talking about, honey?"

"Having children. Reckon we were right not to have them?" Hermione was serious. She knew it was the logical thing to do, but since she left her teaching job at Hogwarts, nothing in her life had been logical. Even marrying Charlie was illogical. He was older, more dangerous and she had only known him for about a year or so before she said 'yes'. Everyone thought she'd marry Ron but after the war she was more interested in her career than her love life. Ron and Hermione parted amicably and remained the best friends they were in their fourth year.

"Yes. I think we were. We wouldn't have been able to live this life with kids. I'd be stuck in some shit-hole office and you'd still be at Hogwarts, or in a book shop or something. We'd be like Rick and Chloe; having to drop everything for the kids. At least with the millions of kids my brothers and sister have had, we gave give them back when they start screaming" Charlie reasoned while planting a kiss on his wife's head. "We can still practice though"

"You're insatiable, Charles Weasley" Hermione stated, but kissed him nonetheless. A long, loving, passionate kiss, only broken by a wolf-whistle from one of the other reserve workers who had come in pursuit of food with his lady friend. Hermione grinned sheepishly and waved while Charlie smiled sweetly and gave him the bird as he passed, laughing to himself.

"What did you say about practicing?" Hermione whispered in his ear as she watched the other worker stroll along in the sun.

_Fin, for now._

_xXx_


	2. Making Good The Bet

Ok... Chapter two. This is the smutty bit, so if that isn't your thing you may as well give up now. This chapter (and the next) will be a smut-feast, it was also going to be a lot longer with some Charlie sexy-time, but I had to rein it in somewhere!**  
><strong>Charlie is a bit of an animal, so be wary of that. It's my first time writing something this rough, so any reviews will be mucho-appreciated!**  
><strong>Most of all, enjoy and please review!

The following days were spent transporting dragons and the occasional blast ended skrewt from East Asia to the reserve for research and conservation, so Charlie and Rick had very little time to spend at home. Thankfully for Charlie, Hermione had also been assigned to the mission to liaise with the Asian government and wizarding community and they spent the days working hard and the nights camping with Rick and a trainee handler in tents in the middle of nowhere.

"Right boys. We've got a long way to go tomorrow and it's going to be the hardest day of the trip. I'm getting some shut-eye" Charlie announced one evening into their trip. "Oh and Glyn, sorry I was a bit short with you today. I turn into a bit of a dictator on these missions. You'll learn to ignore me eventually" he added to the young trainer who was sat quietly. They smiled and bid each other goodnight and joined Hermione in their tent.

They had been using Perkins' old tent for these missions for years and this one was no different. Charlie stooped low to avoid catching his head on the canvas door but stretched once he was fully inside. He found Hermione in the back of the tent getting ready for bed. He couldn't help but stare. She was almost fifty and she had aged gracefully, unlike Fleur who had tried all things possible to stay forever young. She wore one of Charlie's white vests that hung from her shoulders. As she reached up to brush her hair through, it lifted to show off toned legs and a pert backside. Her arms and shoulders tensed and Charlie couldn't help but widen his eyes and lift his eyebrows. She was beautiful, fit, sophisticated and incredibly sensuous in her mature years. She was Venus, or Aphrodite. Charlie couldn't help but feel incredibly lucky when he saw her like this. In the half-light given off by the many flames Hermione kept in jars, she cast long shadows across the floor and her sun-blushed skin seemed to glow.

"If you stare at me like that for much longer, your face will stay like that" Hermione teased as she glanced him in the mirror, smiling but not turning around. Brought out of his haze by her words, he realised his mouth was hanging open. He quickly shut it and smiled, his eyes saying something he just couldn't articulate. Although he and Hermione had a very high sex drive and made love almost every night, Charlie felt something different; something primal. They usually only debauched their bed, or bathroom but Charlie couldn't wait. He had to do something.

"What's on your mind Cha-" Hermione started as she turned around, but she was interrupted by a fierce, passionate and animalistic kiss from her husband. She knew he had been angry and frustrated during the day, but he seemed to have calm during dinner. He was now seeing red and needed release. He pressed his lips into Hermione's and slid his tongue to meet hers. They fought for dominance, but Charlie won. He needed this. He needed her like never before. He pushed her into the chest of drawers with his hips and pinned her there while placing his hands roughly in her hair. Their kiss became rougher and Hermione dug her nails into her lover's shoulders, making sure to leave visible marks.

"You're going to regret that" Charlie hotly breathed as he broke the kiss. Hermione just smirked as tried to place her lips on his but he tipped her head back to expose her neck. The curve of her throat and the vibrations it made when she moaned had Charlie feverish. He unpinned her hips from the chest of drawers they were leaning against and he slipped behind her, spooning where they stood. He pawed at her neck; skin smooth under rough fingers and jagged nails and brushed her hair aside, exposing the expanse of flesh there. He brought his mouth to it as he wrapped his arms around her stomach. She threw her head back and gasped at the burn his teeth left. It had been years since he was this possessive over her body and she revelled in the sensation of being used.

"Charlie... Aaah" Hermione hissed through clenched teeth. Charlie suckled on the sore spot on her neck while he brought one hand up to roughly massage her breast through his own vest. He took her pert nipple into his fingers and rolled it while she arched her back, breaking the skin-to-fabric contact they had. She was on her toes, needy for him, hotly breathing for him. Her hair was a mess, she smelt of sex and sweat. Charlie nuzzled into her wild mane and inhaled deeply.

"Best fucking smell..." he whispered as he used his free hand to push Hermione's pelvis into his and kicked her ankles apart. The vest was now torn at the neck where he forcibly released her body from the soft cotton garment and her bare buttocks pressed into his denim jeans. She could feel how aroused he was so she pushed back just that little bit further. His mind was twisted and his thoughts ravenous. Charlie had to touch Hermione. He levered himself up to sit on the chest of draws and dragged Hermione back with him. She was sat in his lap with her legs dangling to the floor with his. She leaned into him as he harshly grabbed her thighs and opened her legs so he could touch and caress his wife. His property. His wanton, willing and downright lustful property.

"Does it make you wet, thinking that anyone could walk in now" Charlie breathed against Hermione's ear, his free hand holding her jaw so she was staring at the door of the tent. "Anyone could see you looking like a slut, ready to be fucked. Ready to be fucked by me." he was gripping her thighs hard, bruises forming where his finger tips were too tight.

The vest was now a scrap, barely able to be called clothing at this point. Neither of them cared. All Hermione wanted was to get her release that had been building since she had spotted Charlie looking at her in the mirror. All Charlie wanted was to possess her once more. His hand scratched the smooth tissue as it was lowered to Hermione's most intimate area. Charlie knew it well but rediscovered it every time. He softly circled around her wet folds, allowing her a few seconds of adjustment before his animal instinct came over once more. He slipped two fingers into her, hard and brutal. Shocked, Hermione let out a moan and a whimper as Charlie continued. His fingers slid freely through her soaked walls and his thumb pressed harshly into her swollen clitoris. She was close and Charlie knew it.

"Cum for me" his voice laced with something indescribable, Hermione could hold off no longer. Her hands were at Charlie's thighs and she clenched her fingers as she rode an unstoppable orgasm. The two fingers inside her did not stop their ministrations as she came with thundering force. Her breath caught in her lungs and her back arched into Charlie, muscles all over her body contracting. He gave little time to recover and was forcing every shake and aftershock from her body, letting her squirm in his lap and brush against his straining erection. With regret, Charlie removed his fingers and forced them into Hermione's mouth, allowing her to taste herself. She teased his fingers with her dextrous tongue, and lapped at the taste until there was nothing left. With his eyes wide, mouth open and fingers damp, Hermione removed herself from his lap and stood and turned to face him.

_Fin._

_The next part shouldn't take too long._


	3. Does It Excite You?

**Ok, so part three is here. Thank you to everyone adding this to your favourites and alerts and things =)  
>Hermione got hers in the last chapter, so it's Charlie's turn now.<br>Again, if M stuff isn't your thing, look away now etc etc.  
>Please review!<strong>

Once again, their kiss was deep and frenzied, but it was Hermione whose hands were tearing at clothing. She pulled the vest off Charlie's torso and quickly attacked the flies of his jeans. She ran her electric fingertips over the old dragon tattoos on his arms and chest, causing them to blow hot fire over his skin. Before she could bark orders at him, he vigorously pushed her to her knees in front of him. Charlie loved seeing her like this, a slave to his body, all desperate and longing. He looked down into her glazed eyes and followed the contour of her breasts as far as he could. Hermione brought one of her small hands up to release his straining manhood from his boxer shorts. She ran that hand down the length of him, squeezing lightly at the base as she took the tip into her mouth. Charlie dropped his head to look at her, his red hair falling to hide his face. With her well trained mouth around his hard erection all he could do was suck in breath and twist his features into something defining pure ecstasy. With her free hand twisting her own sex while she took Charlie into her mouth, he came closer to that beautiful release he was after.

"Does it excite you?" She spoke around his cock, her voice husky "that someone could see _you _looking like that? A _big_, strong dragon handler at the mercy of his _wife_" She had her mouth forced upon Charlie's cock once more as her words caused him to growl and push deeper, his hands twisting and pulling her hair; deeper until he came; deeper until she had his seed dripping from her mouth. Hot threads went shooting down the back of her throat, sore from the abuse Charlie pushed onto her. She sucked him until he was spent, leaning on the chest of drawers and panting deeply. She licked the last of his cum from her hand and looked up at him through her eyelashes, noticing the sweat on his body glistening in the low light.

"Stand up" Charlie commanded. She dutifully obeyed and looked into his eyes, right at his soul. His eyes burned; his hair sticky with sweat. He was still breathing heavily as his softly took Hermione's hand and lead her over to a low chair in a different part of the tent. It was big enough to seat two people in comfort and was covered in throws and pillows. He sat down first, making Hermione stand before him. He leaned towards her body and briefly licked and suckled her clitoris before leaning back, dragging her onto his lap. She groaned at the lack of contact once he stopped.

"We've got until the morning" Charlie reassured her. His anger and hungry lust had subsided into something slow, passionate and loving. He placed warm, open mouthed kisses on the red bite marks on Hermione's neck. She shifted so she was straddling his hips and reached down to Charlie's cock, without breaking eye contact. The touch of her cold hand caused him to jump and shiver before she lowered herself down onto him. His eyes shut tight, creasing at the corners as he became used to her once more. He could never believe it when she allowed him to make love to her; even after all these years. A low, guttural moan escaped Hermione's lips as he filled her. Placing her hands possessively on Charlie's shoulders, she used him to lift herself up, riding his hard cock with everything she had. She started gently, but became wanting and slowly quickened the pace. He placed his hands on her hips, moving with her and lifting his own hips to deepen each stroke. Hermione became breathless and moaned louder, a sure sign that she was close. She needed to ride the wave together. Sensing her imminent orgasm, Charlie moved a hand so his fingers were slowly circling her clitoris, her wetness spilling out onto her thighs.

"Together, Charlie. Come together" she breathed through each thrust. She quickened the pace even more; she couldn't help but dig her nails into her lover's shoulders. He also thrust up into her faster and harder, feeling her walls tighten once more. The sound of skin-on-skin was filling the tent along with the breathy moans and rumbling growls of the people finding bliss with each other once more.

Not caring who they disturbed outside of the tent, she became louder, almost screaming Charlie's name. She wanted his hot come to spill from her folds. Charlie was close, his eyes were closed and his mouth open, panting hot breaths. He snapped his eyes open and saw the best sight in the world: Hermione, sweaty and close to the edge with her mouth open in sexual pleasure. They reached their peak together, holding each other as though their lives depended on it. He came furiously, fast and hard into her, slicking her sex and causing the beautiful friction that made Hermione lose herself. Her legs locked and she shook with the force, whimpering loudly with each shudder that ran through her body. Charlie's body twisted and turned underneath her as he thrust upwards once more, making it last; making it count. He was the loudest when he was brought to orgasm, feral in his moans the sound travelled through the tent. Hermione lifted herself from Charlie's spent cock and lay next to him on the large, low chair, twisting a fluffy throw between her toes. Their clammy skin sticking to anything, hot and flushed red from their love making. In her post-coital stupor Charlie lightly and playfully brushed his fingers through her folds, feeling each residual clench and contraction of her internal walls around his long fingers. He didn't want to bring her around again just yet; he wanted to feel her innocence-free sex, pulsing around him, knowing it was him who made her lose control of her emotions.

"What was that for?" Charlie asked, kissing Hermione lightly.

"Do I need a reason to fuck my own husband?" She teased, covering his hand with her own, moving his fingers so he was deeper inside her still aroused wetness. "And you have a bet to win so you can buy me something nice with the money you'll get". With that, Charlie grinned and kissed her again.

"You'll be the death of me, Hermione Weasley"

"At least you'll go with a smile on your face" she reasoned, causing a hearty laugh from him.

_Fin. The last part will be up soon. Please review!_


	4. If They Weren't Breathing

**Ok, this is the last part. I was going to wait a bit longer and make those who have read up to now sweat it out a bit, but I got a review on Part3 that made me laugh. Thank you "K", that is the effect I was going for!  
>Part 4 was the hardest to write and took the most time to work out phrases and sentences.<br>Please please please review on this part if you haven't already - I thrive on feedback and I'd love to know what you guys think.**

They continued to make love, on every surface, chair or piece of furniture in the tent. They laughed, cried out each other's names and lost all sense of time and space. All night they spent at the mercy of each other; teasing and taunting until they had their release. By the time the sun rose over the horizon, Charlie and Hermione had lost the innocence of every part of the tent; living area, bedroom, kitchen, bathroom and even right next to the door. Both still bruised from the night and running on adrenaline, they cleared away the broken chairs, torn clothing and upturned cabinets. Trying to find fresh clothing and something that resembled breakfast, Charlie mused to Hermione.

"Darling, how the hell did we manage to do this?" He asked, confused as he held up a book with a suspicious stain on the front. He grinned as Hermione saw what he was referring too.

"You thought it would be an amazing idea to bend me over the coffee table, but it was knocked over. We moved into the kitchen after that" she recalled, smiling at the memory and Charlie's expression when he realised. Fresh-as-air memories of making love on the small kitchen table with many sickly-sweet foodstuffs came flooding back. Charlie lost himself in his memories for a moment.

"Speaking of kitchens, is there anything to eat?" He flashed his winning smile, but it didn't get him what he wanted.

"You can get your own food, I need to find some clothes to wear" she smiled as she turned and walked towards her open trunk near the bed. Quicker than she anticipated, she felt Charlie behind her as she pulled on clean underwear. He didn't touch her, but she felt something cold run down her back. Charlie had poured water from a canteen down her spine and watched it run into the centre of her cheeks and dampen the soft material. She turned and kissed him with all the passion he had at the start of the evening.

"These are the only knickers I can find" she stated plainly.

"Oops" Charlie grinned and splashed the rest of the water in the canteen at her breasts to let it run down her body, clinging to her curves. Her nipples became painfully hard under Charlie's hand. He roughly massaged it and took the other into his mouth; sucking and nipping between his teeth.

"You bastard" was her only reply. She pulled his body into hers, the water cold and causing him to erupt in Goosebumps.

"Charlie? Hermione? You-" Rick hadn't heard them having sex for a while, so he thought the coast was clear. He entered the tent and stood on the spot where they had made love only a couple of hours before. The sight that greeted him was a shock. Charlie had Hermione against a tall post that held the tent up, her legs around his waist pulling him into her. He was driving into her so hard that she saw stars behind her eyelids, a bruise almost certain to be on her back when they had finished. They were frenzied, clumsy and quick and utterly shocked to see their friend stood gormless in the doorway.

"Rick!" Hermione called as she spotted him over Charlie's rippling shoulder. Charlie stopped and directed his attention to the door, seeing him trying to look anywhere but at them.

"Shit, I thought you'd put each other down" Rick stammered. "We're leaving in half an hour" and with that he turned and left wanting to wash the image of his boss and his boss's wife shagging in the middle of their tent out of his mind.

Within half an hour, their tent was packed and they stood together ready to Apperate back to the forest clearing they were hiding the dragons and skrewts. Charlie and Hermione held an air of professionalism between them, but Rick couldn't put up with it much longer.

"Must you two act like nothing happened? You're like a pair of randy teenagers for fucks sake." Rick asked. He was straight to the point; a trait which Charlie admired when he brought him to the ranch all those years ago.

"Yes, because all you saw was me making love to my wife. Nothing out of the ordinary" Charlie couldn't help himself. He'd both won a bet and made his friend nervous. Hermione grinned to herself, thankful her hair was hiding it.

"You know I nearly sent Glyn in there! That would have looked really good, wouldn't it?"

"Relax Rick. Besides, he's only been with us for a couple of months, he's still learning." Charlie grinned at Glyn, not at all awkwardly. "You've got potential kid, you'll get used to living with us all in time". Glyn didn't have the casual air that Charlie had. He looked at him and tried to talk but it came out as a squeak.

"Shall we get going? I need to speak with the ministry workers over here before we can set off home" Hermione suggested. They all took hold of Hermione's arm and they Side-Along Apperated away from their campsite.

Two weeks later, back at their home on the reserve Charlie entered the house with a call to Hermione. She rushed to the hallway, not able to wait another second without seeing him. She pressed a kiss into his lips, his new stubbly beard scratching slightly. Since the trip to Asia, if they weren't breathing, they were making love somewhere: House, garden, Charlie's Den, one of the disused dragon pens. You name it; they debauched it.

"I got you something today. Rick finally paid up from that bet and you said I had to buy you something nice" He smiled. Hermione's eyes widened as he pulled a large, flat case from the back pocket of his jeans and handed it to her. She took the case and slowly opened it. Sat on a black satin base was a goblin made silver and diamond necklace with matching drop earrings. The shock was instantaneous and her reply delayed. She was taken in by the beauty of it. She raised her head to look into Charlie's deep hazel eyes and opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. Charlie took the necklace and carefully hung it around Hermione's neck and turned so should could see her reflection in the mirror in the hallway. It was beautiful. It sparkled in the light and she stared at it, totally shocked she now owned something so beautiful.

"It's beautiful. Oh Charlie, how could we ever afford this?" Hermione was so in awe, she took a minute to come back to reality.

"Don't you worry about that" he softly said, gently kissing her ear as he watched her in the mirror. "Just do one thing for me?"

"Anything" Hermione was ready to give up the world for him. He turned her to face him, took her hands in his and bent one knee. Kneeling in front of her, like a Knight in front of his Queen, he asked:

"Marry me again?"

_Fin, for real this time.  
>I hope you all enjoyed reading this, let me know what you thought about the ending, or anything else with this fic. Thank you again.<em>


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